Dallas-Fort Worth Holiday Portrait Sessions: The Fogle Family

Meet the Fogle Family! These guys are longtime friends. In fact, Mr. Norris and I vacationed with these guys long before their two little ones were a part of the picture. We met Cassie and Zach almost 10 years ago on my first trip to Texas.

After meeting these guys, we all jumped on a plane and headed out on a weeklong adventure in the Panamanian rainforest. Cassie and I kayaked the Canal, Zach and Russ drank at the swim-up bar and we all hiked to the Ya-Ya Waterfall for a dip in the heart of the jungle. That trip was so fun because we all got to get to know one another in such a fun setting. It was a trip full of memories that I will cherish forever and I am so glad that all these years later, we all get to still hang out!

Cassie reached out not too long ago about booking a Family Portrait Session at their home and I was happy to oblige. I love in-home sessions because everyone is so relaxed and natural in their own setting. The bonus is that the Fogle Family Home is so awesome. These guys are adventurers and their two little ones (Falin and Finley) have a plethora of  fun stuff to do right in their own backyard.

We started out in the front yard. Cassie and Zack had built some pretty amazing Christmas decorations including a huge tree and a bunch of candy canes that would be perfect for a Christmas Card photo. Mom and Finley even busted out a little “watch me Whip, Watch me Ney-Ney” moves.

The kids were adamant that every member of the family should be in the shoot so as their cat, Boomerang and their pup, Leiney, made their way over to us, we made sure to snuggle them both for a few photos. I love that the kids wanted to take so many photos with their pets. Falin said to me at one point, “Can you please take a picture of me and my dog? Doesn’t he look so cute right now?” And yes, he did.

AND I TOTALLY FORGOT…They have CHICKENS! So, of course, we had to include them in the shoot. Popcorn made his way over and once the kids had chased them down, it was time to love on these hens for a little bit. Finley had me cracking up. She even threw the chicken at me at one point but no joke, it’s my favorite photo of the bunch!

Once I had grabbed enough photos of just the kids, we moved onto Mom and Dad. Cassie and Zach are so cute it’s crazy.  These smiles are genuine and I love that after all these years, these two still have that magic together. And yes, I may or may not have asked Zach to whisper the ABCs in her ear as seductively as possible.

After these two were done fooling around, the kids and pets all jumped in for a few more family shots around their fire pit in the backyard. We were nearing the end of the kids’ patience so we had to hurry but I just love the way these turned out. Zach and Cassie built an enormous pergola with swings all the way around their fire pit and it played the perfect backdrop to end our session.

As usual, I had a blast with these guys! I always look forward to spending a little time with them and I really look forward to watching this family grow in love! Keep a lookout for another feature because Mom, Cassie, and I did a little side project after their shoot and I cannot wait to tell you a little but more about Cassie and what she’s been up to these days!

DECEMBER ONLY SPECIAL: $100 Portrait Session Gift Certificates that you can use in 2018 towards a 30 minute session, print release and online gallery with downloadable PIN and a Blog Spotlight for sharing with Friends and Family! Email Angelina at therustienailhead@gmail.com to inquire purchasing and packages!

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Coming this October: Baby Capaccioli

You read it right! Now that the cat is officially out of the bag, I can share this adorable pregnancy announcement. My good friends, Gian Marc and Emily, are expecting their first child this October! For those of you who don’t know them, get ready to meet the sweetest couple in the world. Or should I say Trio?

The Capacciolis are an easy gang to please. When it came time to pick a location for their big announcement shoot, they left it up to me so I choose the Fort Worth Water Gardens.  The clean lines make for an exquisite downtown backdrop. Surrounded by brick buildings and glass towers, this place is a peaceful corner for Texans to enjoy an afternoon listening to the water rushing over the expertly engineered falls.

They arrived shortly before sunset and we immediately headed down into the largest water feature. Though an architectural feat, the massive steps down into the falls were a little daunting. They had joked upon arrival that surely I wouldn’t make them go down into the thick of it. Hahaha

Once we were on the biggest platform, I realized how loud the water was! I could barely hear them nor could they hear me. This was going to be a challenge because I usually shout out poses and direction while I shoot. Since that wouldn’t be happening, I told them to just go love on each other. After a few sweet kisses and snuggles in front of the waterfalls, Emily busted out Baby Capaccioli’s first picture, their latest sonogram!

This urban sanctuary is divided into 3 refreshing pools; the quiet, the active and the aerating. We visited all 3 that day but while walking around, I asked Em to write a little something on a chalkboard. The picture above is Emily doing just that. We laughed as they fought over who had better handwriting. It was cute to see them so excited about just writing their news down, let alone sharing it with the world. That’s what I love about these two. They live and love in the little moments.

I met Gian Marc 2 days after I moved to Texas, FIVE YEARS AGO!!! His family owns Piccolo Mondo Italian Restaurant, a staple here in Dallas-Fort Worth, and they hired me just days after arriving here. Over the years, this place has become a home. A home filled with amazing friends, like Gian Marc and Emily. Little known fact, Russ and I got engaged on the same day as these guys. I was so caught up in the fact that Gian Marc was about to propose to Emily that I had no idea Russ was about to bend the knee. To boot, Gian Marc had been in on it the whole time.

It’s so fun knowing that our lives are coming into fruition in a weird sort of unison. We’ve got to celebrate our engagements, our marriages and now, I am photographing their announcement that they are bringing a Bambino/a into the Capaccioli gang! Thank you guys. It was an honor to say the least. Life is good y’all!